Album Notes

Chicago-based Lesley Spencer is a professional free-lance producer, composer, and pianist who has worked with the San Francisco Opera, Victory Gardens Theatre, Urban Gateways, and Radio City Recording. She established Gabriella Music as an independent artist-owned label in 1997. Her critically acclaimed music is heard on NPR’s nationally syndicated programs Morning Edition and Weekend Edition, as well as on XM and Sirius satellite plus hundreds of public radio stations in North America - and in Europe on Spain’s Radio Despi, Radio SLOR in The Netherlands, Romania’s Arad & more.

Lesley’s music “transcends the ordinary“ and has a strong visual quality which evokes a wide range of emotions from the listener. Her earlier recordings, “INSIDE THE MELODY, & PASSIONATE JOURNEY,” established Lesley as an artist of unique talents. Ever evolving as an arranger, she worked with some of the brightest lights in the Chicago music scene on her CDs, “A MOVEABLE FEAST” - her first Latin Chamber Pop Ensemble CD released in 1999, and the sequel THE BEST OF TIMES”, released in 2000. Both CDs featured internationally acclaimed guitarist Fareed Haque.

In 2001 Lesley teamed up with Fareed Haque to produce “AUTHENTIC FLAVORS” - Lesley Spencer & The Latin Chamber Pop Ensemble - featuring Fareed Haque. Also joining the production team for “AUTHENTIC FLAVORS” were well known Chicago arrangers Pete Labella and Ricardo Lorenz. Recorded at STUDIOCHICAGO - “AUTHENTIC FLAVORS” was completed in May of 2002.

In the summer of 2002 - inspired by the thoughts, prayers, and sentiments of countless e-mails from people who were struggling to digest and put into perspective the tragic events of 9/11 - Lesley released an enhanced CD single and a video of her “SEPT 11TH ANTHEM”. It captures in words & music the essence of that struggle and infuses it with hope - providing us with an ANTHEM truly appropriate for the 21st century. “SEPT 11TH ANTHEM “ was the subject of an NBC CHANNEL 5 news story in Chicago by Mary Ann Ahern which was broadcast on 7/02/02 & 7/3/02. Co-produced by Lesley Spencer & Pete Labella, the ANTHEM features some of the finest professional choral singers & musicians in Chicago.

In 2003 Lesley wrote and produced an orchestral CD called “CLASSICAL DELIGHT” - Lesley Spencer & The Latin Chamber Pop Ensemble & Orchestra. Pete Labella was the head arranger, Ricardo Lorenz the guest arranger - and Fareed Haque the featured guitar soloist - with special guests Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus - Emily Ellsworth, Director. They were joined by additional top-notch studio jazz musicians and orchestral players from the Chicago Lyric Opera and Grant Park Symphony Orchestras.

Two collections, “JOY GARDEN” and “POSTCARDS FROM SPAIN” were released in 2004 & 2005, respectively, the latter qualifying for New Age Reporter’s Lifestyle Awards best album of the year in 4 categories. In 2007 Lesley produced two “SURVIVOR MEDITATIONS” CDs for cancer patients, one in english and one in spanish, which features her solo piano music from her solo album “SECRET PLACES PRIVATE THOUGHTS”. Additionally, Lesley’s music has been licensed for several audio & video projects including inspirational cassettes by cosmetics doyenne & motivational speaker Marilyn Miglin, a 2005 PBS documentary “STONES FROM THE SOIL”, and most recently, a 2006 Disney movie, “STICK IT”. Currently she is busy producing 2 documentaries which will be released in 2008 and which both feature her music.